Love and the pirate life
by K' the panther
Summary: You leave your home, your friends and your beloved behind with a silent promise to stay true until you return. But time and the sea have different plans... UsoppxNami, UsoppxKaya.
1. Part I

**Disclaimer: One Piece isn't mine**

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**Love and the pirate life I**

Nami came up to him one night when he was on watch. She brought alcohol which, considering the circumstances, was unfair.

"Hey."

And for once she was bright and cheerful and careless, the burden of her job left in the decks down below.

"Uh, hi." He was confused and also kind of frightened, just on the basis that she was Nami and he was still a coward at heart. "What're you doing here?"

She shrugged.

"Catching up. We've got a lot of that to do, it's been two years."

He felt uncomfortable about how the 'we' seemed to include him and herself, but not anyone else. She took a swig of the rum (it was always rum, because they were pirates, because Zoro had so decreed) and passed him the bottle.

"I'm on watch," he said.

"Since when does it matter?" her laugh tinkled. She'd already had a go at the bottle, Usopp realized. "Jeez, Usopp, I thought you said you were braver now."

It was a conversation worthy of two thirteen-year-olds. And, as often happens in these conversations, the pressuree gave in to the peer pressurer and drank.

Nami seemed satisfied.

"Good, huh?" she didn't wait for an answer. "So, what've you been up to while we were apart?" There was that 'we' again, slipping insidiously into their talk.

He shrugged nonchalantly, but his chest was already beginning to puff.

"Not much. I was off fighting deadly plants and huge, violent insects in a remote island. I had the greatest master, of course, and he taught me all his secrets."

"Of course." Nami nodded solemnly.

Usopp just puffed up a little more. Before, he would have blustered before her light sarcasm and said that yes, of course, it was true, he was the bravest warrior of the seven seas. But not now. He had lost his bluster and he felt rightfully proud of that, thank you very much.

"I trained for long days and tiresome nights," he continued. "It was hard, and I sometimes despaired. _But_ I didn't give up, because I knew I was getting stronger. I was doing it for myself, and for my crew."

Somehow it felt quieter after he said that. Nami was still smiling at him, waiting for him to continue, but he'd already given her an overall summary and didn't know what else to say and even though he was more at ease now, he still wasn't completely comfortable.

The bottle lay forgotten between them.

"And, um." He paused, "I was kind of scared in the beginning, everything was so…large-scale, you know? Like a world built for giants. I grew fat…" he trailed off.

Nami gave an incredulous little laugh, looking at his toned arms. Usopp felt a blush blooming, and looked away.

"But you worked it off," Nami said softly, "you became stronger, Usopp."

She put a hand on his shoulder and it was kind of awkward—but not really, because she was nakama and knew that his muscles weren't just looks; they were a sign of how he'd grown to fit himself. He was more at ease with his body now, smoother, and even though she hadn't done much physical training herself, Nami understood.

"You've really grown beautiful…" the way she said it was almost distracted, but suddenly everything was out of balance again.

Usopp flinched away from the fingers trailing down his arm, light as the touch of his softest paintbrush.

Nami looked up at him and the fingers became a hand again. She leaned in, gently, _don't scare him again_.

"What's wrong, Usopp?"

Her hand was exploring his bicep now, innocently enough. Usopp knew he must feel sweaty under Nami's palm. He noticed how the lantern light made her hair glow, yellow on orange—how long it had grown, how it framed her face.

"We're nakama," he said, trying and failing to sound aghast.

Nami's eyes bore into his. Bright caramel eyes.

"Exactly," her voice was precise as a compass, "it's a bond that runs deeper than _anything_…"

She came closer let her hair trail down his shoulder, smiling again. Her eyes were a little wider, trying to make him understand.

"K-Kaya," he managed to stutter before scrambling away and standing up. He felt suddenly sheepish, like he'd overreacted or maybe even misunderstood. "Er, sorry."

She looked down, reddish curtains obscuring her face, and laughed softly.

"Nah, it's all right. If that's the case, I won't press you." She got up too.

Nami's face showed disappointment but not sadness, to Usopp's relief.

She went to the door and paused, turning to give him a last smile.

"Don't feel bad," she said.

For a moment, Usopp wanted to tell her to stay and chat, ease his own conscience. But Nami was perfectly okay and he really didn't feel bad.

An image of Kaya as he had last seen her flashed through his mind. She had been smiling and perfect as he sailed out, no idea when (if)he would return, but knowing she would be waiting. Neither of them had ever outright confessed, but then again, they hadn't needed to.

_Sorry, Nami, there's someone I have to stay true to. _

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**Whew! Lots of last minute editing on this one-hope it didn't seem sloppy.**

**So this was part 1. I like to have my stories all written out before I start posting them, but this time I haven't written part 2 yet. Hopefully it won't take too long :S**


	2. Part II

**Whew-part 2 done at last! I'm so hyped about this story it feels like ages since I updated.**

**I started writing this and somehow ended up writing about a funeral, so I had to start over. This is still my fastest update ever-yeah, I'm slow.**

**I know the story doesn't have that many hits, but it's always nice to have some reader response. If you like the story (and even if you don't) feel free to review :) **

**This part is Usokaya rather than UsoNami. In fact, it hasn't got much to do with the first part at all, but I feel like they both go together.**

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**Love and the pirate life II**

Usopp was back at last.

It had taken six years to place that crown on Luffy's head, but they had done it. Found One Piece, completed their ultimate missions in life. Or almost: Zoro had yet to defeat Mihawk, Sanji to find All Blue and Nami to map it. Those three had decided to continue sailing the seas together—along with their captain, who was not about to miss the new adventures. But first, they were saying goodbye to their nakama as they dropped them off one by one.

Usopp? Nah, Usopp was good, thank you very much. The Straw Hat Pirates had closed a chapter of their lives together, but he would be opening a new one separately. He was returning to his birthplace, and staying there. He had met his goals, so that was the end of adventures for him.

They came one afternoon, when the children were playing out in the street and the old ones sat gossiping outside their houses on wicker chairs. The news spread like wildfire and they were soon being carried to the central square on the shoulders of a half the village. The crowd cheered for them like they were heroes. A barrel here, a trestle table there, and soon a welcome feast was on the way.

His nakama settled in well enough—as they always did when there was food to be had—but Usopp soon slipped away. There was someone he had to see.

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His heart was pounding as he arrived at her mansion, and not just because he had run all the way. It had been six years. How much prettier, smarter, sweeter would she have grown? He couldn't help but examine himself: stronger, buffer, a little taller than when he had set out. Would _he_ be good enough for her?

He thought of going in through the window (the tree was still there, waiting for him) but decided against it. That had been as children; now he was going to use the front door like the man he was. It was time to say things that, perhaps, he should have said before he set sail all those years ago. But that was then. He had come to make it all perfect, now.

He knocked on the door (what if she wasn't home?), because it was quieter than the doorbell (what if she didn't really want to hear that knock?) and he didn't want to startle her (what if she had moved somewhere, far away, to study medicine?).

"Usopp!"

A gasp, and he found himself surrounded by a familiar scent of lilies. He hugged back tightly, eternally, afraid his legs would give way. He breathed her in, soaked in her warmth. Letters and pictures had helped, but nothing could ever compare to _this_.

Eventually she separated, "Let me look at you!", and he saw her in all her glory. The years had made her into a...a goddess. A pale, bright-faced goddess wearing glasses and dressed in pure white. There were tears in her eyes; joyful tears which, beyond comprehension, seemed to be on his account.

"Kaya," he breathed, and just her name seemed to be a spell for healing any ailment.

"Oh, Usopp, you've _grown_ so much! And you came back... I was starting to think you wouldn't."

In that moment Usopp wanted to say something about how, no matter what, he would always return to _her,_ but all that came out was:

"I—god."

"Come in! Oh no, I'm so sorry, I really haven't prepared anything. Why didn't you—why didn't you warn me?"

That, at least, he could answer.

"It was meant to be a surprise," he said.

"That it certainly was! We never expected you back, not so soon! Of course, I heard—we all did—about One Piece and all, but somehow I assumed you'd keep going, fighting monsters and all those pirate things you do..."

He shook his head quickly.  
"The others might—some of them, at least. I just want to settle down, y'know, retire, I guess..." he laughed nervously, "form a family..."

And there it was. He puffed out his chest, readying himself for the big speech.

"Kaya..."

"Kaya? Who is it?" A voice floated down from upstairs.

She turned to him, her eyes bright.

"I guess I have a surprise for you, too. I didn't write to you about him because I wanted to introduce you first—didn't imagine it would be so soon." She laughed nervously. "We've only been engaged for a few months, Usopp, but he's..."

The rest of her words were drowned by the sound of his heart ripping in two. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

He convulsed once, twice, then Usopp the warrior broke down and he was back to what he had always been: Usopp the coward, running from the mansion, from his beloved, from the nameless, faceless stranger who had taken her away.

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**I feel bad doing this to Usopp. Now that I'm posting this parts 1 and 2 seem to be less related. Oh well.**


End file.
